Practical Tips For Eating Well in a Hectic World

Food as a Form of Love: Embracing Healthy Eating

We all strive to feel our best: healthy, strong, and brimming with energy. But often, there’s a gap between what we desire and our readiness to commit to those goals. Why? Because real change requires planning, structure, consistency, and effort.

Changing long-term health or lifestyle habits, such as healthy eating, demands effort: scheduling them and sticking to them, even when enthusiasm wanes. Christa Orrechio’s metaphor beautifully captures this challenge. She likens our existing habits to a whirlpool’s current. Altering this current, initially difficult and demanding, gradually builds momentum, eventually becoming effortless and carrying us forward.

Starting any new venture or change is always tougher in the beginning, but it becomes easier with time. Remember, you are capable of doing hard things, so no hiding behind excuses!

The key? Decide and commit.

→ Start now and say it out loud: I commit to making healthy eating habits consistently for the next … months.

Planning is critical for success. The biggest reason people fail to change their lives is due to a lack of planning. Desired changes, like eating healthier, won’t just happen in your spare time or when you happen to think about them. As unappealing as it may sound, effective change requires a well-thought-out plan.

Setting Yourself Up for Success

Many of us, particularly the driven, type A personalities, are accustomed to a fast-paced life. While this can make us incredibly productive, it often leads to faster burnout. To avoid this, adopt a different approach. What got you here won’t get you out. Long-term depletion is a significant risk, leading to issues like autoimmune diseases and burnout.

Start by setting the right tone as you wake up. Ease into your day. Don’t rush out of bed; take a moment to connect with yourself, envision your day positively, or enjoy your morning water peacefully. You can incorporate meditation or journaling if time allows. The key is to avoid jumping straight into responding to external demands. Ground yourself first. It benefits everyone.

Change often means going against the flow (think back to that whirlpool metaphor). While friends, colleagues, and family might see fast food for lunch and pancakes for breakfast as normal, adopting a healthy eating journey means making different choices. It might be challenging, but it’s empowering, and the challenge can give you a boost. Reconnect with food and cooking not as chores but as enjoyable, fulfilling activities. By changing your mindset about meal preparation, you’re practising self-care and nourishing yourself.